UPDATE: 6-2-23 – According to DPW Director Dane Arnold, the Fantasy Playground has been closed off due to broken boards on the wooden structure and will be taken down during the course of the summer. According to Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson, it will take at least $150,000 to replace it. He plans to ask the Gardner City Council for funds from free cash.
Gardner MA “Ovila Case Playground” Case – Case
As usual, Social Media is filled with conjecture. However, Ovila Case IS OPEN to the public for everything except the Wooden Structure. In front of the Wooden Structure, the City of Gardner has placed a sign saying, “Please Keep Off”. We are awaiting word on what the next steps will be regarding the wooden structure named “the Fantasy Playground.”
The City of Gardner has expended a considerable amount of money on Ovila Case over the years. This year, Ovila Case is slated to get a new pickleball court. In the long-term, it is planned to repair and replace the nighttime lights over the baseball diamond at Ovila Case (as well as Bickford Playground). Besides the baseball diamond, Ovila Case has a beautiful walking – running track and the park had received new charcoal grills within the past couple of years. Other upgrades: walking trail, parking lot, and picnic trail, and new basketball court.
One thing we do know. The “You Wreck It! We Remove It! You Don’t Have It!” sign is still up at this time. However, it is clear the problems with the wooden structure are “wear-related” and not sabotage.